Meat-chopper.



No. 724,824, v PATENTED APR, 7, 1903.,

R. DETTMER.

MEAT CHOPPER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1902.

Ho MODEL. 2 sums-sum v1.

' q/Vihwoou PATENTED APR, 7, 1903.

R. DETTMER.

MEAT CHOPPER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED JULY 8, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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RICHARD DETTMER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MEAT-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Zliatent No.- 724,824, dated April7, 1903.

Application filed July 8, 1902. Serial No. 114,816. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD DETTMER, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and Stateof California,have invented new and useful Improvements inMeat-Choppers, of which the following is a'specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inmeat-choppers; and the essential object of the same is to provide anorganization of elements whereby meat may be chopped as fine as desiredby running it once through the machine without mashing the meat as muchas when machines are used requiringthe meat to berun through the sameseveral times to obtain the degree of fineness desired and also tosimplify the construction of this class-of devices and render them moreeffective in their operation.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front end elevation of a meat-chopperembodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved machine. Fig. 4

I is a top plan view showing the cylinder, feedscrew, and connectingpartsin section. Fig. 5 is a detail view in elevation of one of theoutlet-plates. Fig. 6 is a detail view in elevation of a clamping-ringto engage the outlet end of the cylinder to hold the outletplates inplace. Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the cutter. Fig. 8 is atransverse vertical section on the line 8 8, Fig. 4.

Similarnumerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a standard or upright having a base 2, adaptedto be secured to a table or other support, the said standard or uprightbeing also formed with and supporting an upper frame .3, comprisinganoutwardly-extending arm 4, having a cylinder 5 secured thereto. Theinterior of the cylinder 5 is formed with a series oflongitudinally-extending shallow grooves, which will enable the screwhereinafter explained to feed the meat to a cutter, also forming a partof the improved organization. Immediately above the standard or upright1 the frame 3 has an opening 6 therethrough for the reception andpartial inclosure of elements, which will be hereinafter specified, andalso to provide a closed combined shield and support 7 at the front andrear. The portion of the frame including the combined shields andsupports 7 is extended laterally a considerable distance from one sideof the machine, and in suitable boxes 8, secured to portions of theupper edges of the said combined shields and supports, a drive-shaft 9is mounted and projected rearwardly a sufficient distance toreceivepulleys 10 and 11, one of which is loose for obvious purposes. suitablepower source is'adapted to engage the said pulleys, and cooperatingtherewith is a belt-shifter 12, fulcrumed on an upright 13 and having anarm held at an angle in the free end-thereof and depending over aportion of the pulleys to engage the belt for shifting purposes, all asclearly shown by Fig. 2. Keyed on the shaft 9, within and close to therear combined shield and support 7, is a master-gear 14, and also on thesaid shaft, adjacent to the front shield and support 7, is a smallerspur-gear 15. At a distance from the drive-shaft 9 and in alinement withthe cylinder 5a bearing-upright 16 is secured in the open portionof theframe and has a suitable box 17 of cap form on the upper end thereof toembrace the rear end of a hub 18, carrying a spur-gear19, which islheldin continual mesh with the spur-gear 15. The inner end of the cylinder 5is provided with a head 20, having ashouldered opening 21 extendinglongitudinally therethrough, and into the larger portion of the saidopening the outer endof the hub 18 rotatably extends, the said outer endof the hub'being formed with a socket 22 of angular form to receive thecorrespondingly angular terminal stem 23 of a feed-screw 24. within thecylinder, whereby the said feed-screw will be regularly rotated at agiven speed. The cylinder 5 gradually increases in diameter or divergestoward its outer free end, and the feed-screw 24 similarly increases indiameter, and communicating with the said cylinder is a hopper 25. The

feed-screw has a bore 26 extending longitudinally therethrough, whichalines with a bore 27 in the hub 18, and the rear end of said hub A beltfrom a is constructed with a cylindrical socket 28 to receive theforwardly-projecting similarlyshaped extremity 29 of a hub 30, having apinion 31 thereon, which is held in continual mesh with the master-gear14. The hub 30 is provided with a shoulder, as shown, to bear againstthe adjacent box 8 to hold the spurgearin proper position relatively tothe socket 28. The forwardly-projectiug extremity 29 of the hub 30 isalso formed with an angular socket 32 to receive the rear angular end 33of a cutter-shaft 34, which loosely projects through the bores 26 and27, respectively, of the feed-screw 24 and the hub 18. The feedscrew 24is not as long as the cylinder 5 in order to leave a space between theouter end of the said feed-screw and the closure for the outer end ofthe cylinder to provide sufiicient room for the operation of a cutter35, which is fast on the shaft 34 and comprises a series ofradially-arranged obliquely-disposed cutting-blades. The sockets 22 and32 are deep enough to compensate for wear and possible shifting movementof the parts directly engaging the same without creating a frictionalbind on the said parts. Furthermore, the shaft 34 has a shoulder or stopdevice 34 on the upper portion thereof close to the cutter 35 and whichbears against the outer end of the feed-screw, the said shaft being heldin position by a replaceable plate in the outer end of the cylinder, inthe center of which snugly fits the shaft 34.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the cutter will berotated at a high rate of speed and the feed-screw at a much lower speedto prevent choking the cutter and permit thelatter to effectivelyperform its cutting operation.

One of the most important features of the present construction andimprovement in choppers is the provision at the outer free end of thecylinder of perforated plates of circular form, which will be furnishedin series with each machine, with openings therein varying in diameterto regulate the fineness or grade of the cut meat delivered from themachine. Each of these plates 36 will be of such diameter as to snuglyfit within the outer free end of the cylinder 5 and is provided with acentral opening 37, through which a portion of the shaft 34 beyond thecutter 35 extends, and on the outer end of the shaft a nut 38 is appliedandis broughtto bearagainst the plate 36. The portion of the shaft 34engaging this outlet-plate 36 freely rotates in the latter, and, it ispreferred for obvious practical reasons that the said plate be preventedfrom rotating, and to obstruct said movement of the plate it is formedwith a peripheral notch 39 to engage a rib 40 on the inner side of thecylinder, as clearly shown by Fig. 4. In view of the fact that theoutlet-plate 36 might move out of place if there were no restrainingdevice to overcome this tendency a clamping-ring 41 is provided andformed with an inner groove 42, as clearly shown by Figs. 4 and 6, saidgroove being screw-threaded, as at 43. The outer end of the cy1inder5has outer screw threads 44 to engage the threads 43, and when the ringis applied the plate 36 is pushed snugly inward to the cutter and alsobrings the latter close to the end of the feed-screw. It will be seenthat the ring 41 will overcome any tendency of abnormal expansion oroutward movement of the outer end of the cylinder, due to the pressureof the meat at said point, and particularly in view of the operation offorcing the cut meat through the openings of the plate 36. To assist inturning the ring 41, it has a number of outwardly-projecting gripdevices 45, and it will be seen that one plate 36 may be quickly removedand another substituted therefor by simply withdrawing the ring anddetaching the nut 38 and afterward resetting the parts, as shown by Fig.4. In some instances the nut 38 will not be necessary on the outer endof the shaft 34; but in doing heavy work, as in chopping cords andmuscles in the meat, the said nut will be employed. The plate 38, shaft34, and feed-screw 24 are all removable parts and are detached by firstunscrewing or disconnecting the ring 41, when said parts can besuccessively taken out and cleaned and afterward reset in operativeposition within the cylinder.

In the operation of the machine the driving-belt is shifted to thepulley fast on the shaft 9, and through the gearing set forth thefeed-screw and cutter-shaft are actuated in proper timed relation. Themeat is then deposited in the hopper 25 and passes into the cylinder 5and is carried or fed by the screw 24 to the cutter 35, where it ischopped or comminuted. The meat will not be forced through theoutlet-plate 6 until the pieces are fine enough or of a size similar tothe diameter of the openings in the said plate, and it will be seen thatwhen it is required that the meat be out very fine to pass throughaplate having openings of reduced diameter the cutter will continue tooperate on the meat or cut the latter until the necessary degree offineness results.

The speed of the several parts may be varied at will; butit has beenfound that the operation of the machine is rendered more effective byrotating the pulleys at a speed of from three hundred and fifty to fourhundred revolutions a minute and also to maintain the revolutions of theknife relatively to the feed-screw in a proportion of four to one. It isalso obvious that changes in the form, proportions, and minor detailsmay be resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1.In a meat-chopper, the combination of a cylinder having a head at itsinner end with a shouldered opening therethrough, a feedscrew rotatablymounted in the cylinder and of less length than the latter, acutter-shaft looselyextending through the feed-screw and having a cutteron its outer'extremity, a perforated closure for the outer end of thecylinder, a hub carrying a spur-gear and having a socket in its outerend to receive the inner end of the feed-screw and also provided with abore extending therethrough and a socket in its inner end, the saidcutter-shaft extendin g through the bore of the hub, a hub having apinion thereon projecting into the socket in the inner end of the hubcarrying the spurgear and also provided with a socket to receive theinner end of the cutter-shaft, and means for operating the saidspur-gear and pinion.

2. In a meat-chopper, the combination of a cylinder having a feed-screwtherein with a bore therethrough, the feed-screw being of less lengththan the cylinder, a hub carrying a spur-gear and having a socket toreceive the rear end of the feed-screw and ,also pro- In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

RICHARD DETTMER.

Witnesses:

CHAs. J URGENS, PHILIP FIOKINGER,

